This summer marks the third year that the kids and I have participated in the National Bible Bee Summer Study. This ministry and study hold a happy place in my heart—I am delighted to have photographed their national competition the last several years, and they have introduced the discipline of Bible study to my oldest in a way in which I will forever be grateful. Our summers now have little toddlers running around quoting passages, and little voices saying “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
You want to set yourself up to hear the word of God preached to you? Memorize Scripture with someone. My children have been preaching truth to me all summer long as we have hidden God’s Word in our hearts together.
One morning, Caleb recited his verses to me right after breakfast. The theme of this summer’s study was “Worship,” so each week he studied and memorized a passage of worship (a verse from the Psalms, for example), and a passage recounting worship by a character in the Bible. 2 Chronicles 5 recounts the Solomon’s dedication of the temple. The passage he memorized picks up after the temple has been completed, in all of its lavish splendor. All the Israelites came together, the elders assemble, and the priests bring the Ark of the Covenant into the Most Holy Place.
That is the back story of what is happening in the chapter when Caleb begins reciting 2 Chronicles 5:12-14:
“And all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters.
And it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the LORD),
and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the LORD,
“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever,”
the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud,
so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.”
Did you hear the same thing I heard?
It was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard. Each person—each musician—raised their song in unison, in praise and thanksgiving to their covenant-keeping God. Their anthem rang out: “For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!”
It was after that worship service that something astounding happened: the glory of the Lord, in the form of a cloud, filled the house of the Lord.
All day long, that phrase echoed through my mind after Caleb shared it with me: It was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard. This was not a place for quiet humming and solitary singing. Only after their worship did the glory of God fill the temple.
I can’t sing your song for you. You can’t sing my song for me. You have words in your heart and a message on your lips that only you can share. As believers, it is our duty to make ourselves heard.
So speak up. Sing. Share. Make yourself heard this week. How can you say “God is good! His love endures forever” in your own way this week? How can you make yourself heard above the din of daily noise and the clang of distraction? We need your voice.
